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Lakeland Financial Services provides outsourcing services for three areas: payro

ID: 2462830 • Letter: L

Question

Lakeland Financial Services provides outsourcing services for three areas: payroll, general ledger (GL), and tax compliance. The company is currently contemplating the elimination of the GL area because it is showing a pre-tax loss. An annual income statement follows. Lakeland Financial Services Income Statement by Service Line For the Year Ended July 31, 2013 (in thousands) Payroll GL Tax Total Sales $ 4,378 $ 3,218 $ 3,581 $ 11,177 Cost of sales (2,781) (1,981) (2,141) (6,903) Gross margin $ 1,597 $ 1,237 $ 1,440 $ 4,274 Avoidable fixed and variable costs $ 1,247 $ 1,504 $ 1,024 $ 3,775 Allocated fixed costs 194 149 214 557 Total fixed costs $ 1,441 $ 1,653 $ 1,238 $ 4,332 Operating profit $ 156 $ (416) $ 202 $ (58) a. Should corporate management drop the GL area? Gross margin GL services $ Avoidable fixed and variable operating costs Segment margin $ b. If the GL area were dropped, how would the company’s pre-tax profit be affected?

Explanation / Answer

Answer a GL should be drooped since the contribution margin comes negative 267.

GL

Sales

3218

Cost of sales

-1981

Gross margin

1237

Avoidable fixed and variable cost

-1504

Operating profit

-267

         

Answer b on removal of GL operating profit will come positive 209 from negative 58

Payroll

Tax

Total

Sales

4378

3581

7959

Cost of sales

-2781

-2141

-4922

Gross margin

1597

1440

3037

Avoidable fixed and variable cost

-1247

-1024

-2271

Allocated fixed cost

-194

-149

-214

-557

Operating profit

156

-149

202

209

  

GL

Sales

3218

Cost of sales

-1981

Gross margin

1237

Avoidable fixed and variable cost

-1504

Operating profit

-267